Despite being older than the Himalayas and the Western Ghats, the Eastern Ghats, an ancient discontinuous low mountain range that spreads along the East coast of the Indian Peninsula, never got its due. The geographical extent of the Eastern Ghats is about 75,000 kilometres, spread over the states of Odisha (25 %), Andhra Pradesh (40%), Telangana (5%), Karnataka (5%) and Tamil Nadu (25%).
Though it is bestowed with rich bio-diversity and is home to different tribal communities, there has never been a clear policy in place for its conservation.
In June 2011, Greens’ Alliance for Conservation of Eastern Ghats (GrACE) was formed to turn the focus on the Eastern Ghats. Its drive to rejuvenate the ecosystem culminated in the planting of more than 10 lakh trees in the region; the project to plant 10 million saplings continues.
Meanwhile, many like-minded individuals from different walks of life came forward and formed an association called the Council for Green Revolution (CGR) to take the movement forward. The Declaration released at a conference held in Bhubaneshwar in 2016 appealed for ‘Special conservation status to Eastern Ghats and for creation of autonomous Eastern Ghats Protection Authority and to persuade UNO to declare Eastern Ghats as world natural heritage site.’
In September 2017, a team of 11 members consisting of scientists, environmentalists, observers and members of CGR went on an expedition of the Eastern Ghats for 11 days, covering 4,400 kilometres. They aimed to get an understanding of the ecological system, meet and interact with locals and explore the role the Ghats play in their lives, gauge the damage done and get an idea of the practices and traditional ways of living that could cause less damage to the Ghats.
A few months back, members of GrACE who were a part of the expedition brought out a book titled Eastern Ghats — Environment Outlook . The authors K Thulsi Rao, N Sai Bhaskar Reddy and C Umamaheshwar Reddy incorporated their knowledge gained over years of their study and experience of the Ghats.
Cover and back page of ‘Eastern Ghats - Environmental Outlook’
The 185-page book contains stunning visuals of the Ghats’ flora and fauna, the wildlife inhabiting the region and candid shots of the locals.
K Thulsi Rao shares insights into GrACE’s efforts in publishing the book and its future agenda:
How do you describe the gravity of the situation in the Eastern Ghats?
The story of the Eastern Ghats today is far more complex than we understood. Population pressure, insatiable gluttony for resources and myopic development projects have disregarded the value and integrity of this eco-region and people here. Loss of biodiversity, resource exploitation, millions of impoverished tribal people and armed discontent overlay the canvas of the present-day Eastern Ghats.
The total number of activities that threaten the perimeter and interiors of the hills remains unknown. The scars of misuse and the wounded landscape are seen all over the hills.
Privatisation of natural resources, developmental projects, including mining, urbanisation and industrialisation — past, present and in the future — have the potential to destroy the Eastern Ghats. Shrinking biodiversity, depleting natural resources, rampant pollution and marginalisation of indigenous communities impact the economy and society in the long run.
Tribals carrying pots at Araku Valley
Does Council for Green Revolution work in tandem with any Government body?
Council for Green Revolution is a group of concerned citizens comprising eminent environmentalists, scientists, ecologists and journalists, supported by others who are deeply concerned about planet Earth. CGR has mostly its own initiatives and interventions, but has partnered in Haritha Haram, the massive tree plantation drive by the Government of Telangana.
What challenges did GrACE face in the initial days of assessment of the Ghats?
Basically the challenge was in getting a holistic picture of the detached hill ranges. Accessing information, identifying individuals and groups working on the Eastern Ghats also took time.
Do the Eastern Ghats deserve the same kind of attention as the Western Ghats, in term of policy for sustainable programmes and tourism?
Yes. The Western Ghats have been an area of many scientific studies. The Government of India constituted an expert panel of eminent ecologists like Professor Madhav Gadgil to study its status and pressures. The Western Ghats is also listed among the World Heritage sites. We feel the Eastern Ghats deserves similar attention due to its unique bio-geographic significance and heavy pressures from people, development projects etc.
Does GrACE follow an integrated programme involving locals in its eco-awareness campaign?
Yes, we are planning for it. In the initial phase, we would like to have sensitisation and motivation campaigns for children, youth and villagers. Subsequently, we want to adopt tribal villages for sustainable initiatives.
You plan to organise a conference to strengthen the movement.
Yes. We would like to invite all the MPs whose constituencies lie fully or partially in the Eastern Ghats region. There we would like to share our concerns and appeal for a concerted effort for the conservation of the Eastern Ghats. Hope this will draw attention to the problems there.
